Corporate Social Responsibility Patterns of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Industries' Consumers: How to Improve the Situation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

When the issues surrounding corporate social responsibilities (CSR) are discussed, who or what organisation should be considered as the key player in CSR? Is it the service provider or a consumer on the socio-economic market that qualifies as a key player? One might be quick to suggest that traditionally service providers are supposed to play CSR roles. To think of the topic critically not only is a service provider that is required to play CSR roles but that the consumer is equally deemed to play a commendable role. Others may argue that such a suggestion is conclusive to mean that a banana vendor is supposed to follow his customers/consumer in question so that they do not throw the banana peels hazardously and affect the environment negatively.

The consumer, just like the vendor/service provider, ought to have discipline and principles as to how he or she utilises products around rather than blame the opposite on wrongly providing a service from which many are benefiting from.

The debate above suggests that consumers of products have their roles to play as regards CSR so that those that provide them with a socio-economic service can continue to do so and that relations between a consumer and a service provider are mutual and sustainable.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) industries in developing Africa use manual power to produce the desired consumables and because no technology is involved their products are reasonable and affordable. However, the manual power is applied at a risk and at the expense of the service providers’ health. Is there any consciousness of the situation at hand by the consumer? The specific local SME industries to be discussed are quarry stone crashing, charcoal making and cement industry outlets leading to a debate on whether consumers just like service providers need to work together to ensure that the local SME industries cited are recognised for sustainable development purposes.

Citation

Sulamoyo, N.B. (2016), "Corporate Social Responsibility Patterns of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Industries' Consumers: How to Improve the Situation in Sub-Saharan Africa", Accountability and Social Responsibility: International Perspectives (Developments in Corporate Governance and Responsibility, Vol. 9), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 223-233. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2043-052320160000009010